Glassdoor’s 2014 Best Places to Work

Glassdoor just released its sixth annual 50 Best Places to Work for 2014. The list forecasts which companies will be the best to work for in 2014 based on anonymous surveys of current and former employees at companies with a minimum of 1,000 workers. More than half a million reviews were submitted to build the list.

This year, 17 companies made their debuts on the list, including entertainment company Disney, fast food chain Chick-fil-A, and social media powerhouse Twitter. Meanwhile, seven companies have made Glassdoor Top Places to Work list for all six years, including Google and Chevron.

Take a look to see which Boston-based company took the top spot on this year’s list.

Glassdoor

50. Salesforce.com, San Francisco, Calif.

Rating: 3.8

Recent employee commentary: “Very vibrant culture which is focused on education and growth. Company knows how to work and play hard. Very socially minded with a focus on ‘foundation’ and employees that are generally very nice and respectful.” – Salesforce.com Customer Success Employee (San Francisco, California)
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49. eBay Inc., San Jose, Calif.

Rating: 3.8

Recent employee commentary: “Great opportunity for growth and work with great people who are friendly and are willing to help. I am able to learn a lot of new things while on the job. It’s a good learning experience for me.” – eBay Inc Software Engineer III (Santa Clara, California)
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Glassdoor

48. Stryker, Portage, Mich.

Rating: 3.8

Recent employee commentary: “The people and culture are the biggest selling points to working for Stryker. It’s incredibly refreshing and motivating to come to work and be with such a smart, ambitious, positive workforce. Another thing I love about working for this company is that at every level, an employee touches projects/products that have an impact on the lives of our customers.” – Stryker Employee (Kalamazoo, Mich.)
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Pictured: From left, Paula Lopez and Kentrell Blunt of Texas Roadhouse make lunch plates to benefit the Tip of the Spear organization to support US troops at the Sugar Land Ice and Sports Center in Sugar Land, Texas.
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Recent employee commentary: “TI is an older company with great values but still has the expertise to be a great competitive technology company. TI is a huge company and has a foot in many areas, so there are good opportunities.” – Texas Instruments Senior Software Engineer (Dallas, Texas)
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44. NBCUniversal, New York City

Rating: 3.8

Recent employee commentary: “Incredibly large organization with endless opportunities for growth across different platforms, channels, and teams.” – NBCUniversal Production Coordinator (New York, NY)
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MANDEL NGAN//AFP/GettyImages

43. Chick-fil-A, Atlanta, Ga.

Rating: 3.8

Recent employee commentary: “Awesome management that treats us like real people! I love that the company puts its people before profit and that they are closed on Sunday. I know this would be a great place to start a career!” – Chick-fil-A Team Member (Nashville, Tenn.)
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Glassdoor

42. Disney, Burbank, Calif.

Rating: 3.8

Recent employee commentary: “Free park admission, working for one of the best companies in the world. Making a difference in people’s lives. Making people happy all day every day.” – Disney Resort Operations Assistant (Orlando, Fla.)
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Glassdoor

41. NetApp, Sunnyvale, Calif.

Rating: 3.8

Recent employee commentary: “Great co-workers! There are tons of opportunities here. The company makes you feel important and goes out of the way to make you feel comfortable and enjoy coming to work. There are always activities and events to take part in.” – NetApp Technical Support Engineer (Wichita, Kan.)
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Glassdoor

40. Wegmans, Rochester, N.Y.

Rating: 3.8

Recent employee commentary: “Culture is great—the team that you work with is passionate about what they do. Everyone seems to be super nice and always understanding about the job.” – Wegmans Customer Service Employee (Allentown, Penn.)
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Glassdoor

39. Starbucks, Seattle, Wash.

Rating: 3.8

Recent employee commentary: “Starbucks takes great care of all of its employees from Barista to the higher level employees. If you want a company with morality and a conscience with a strong opportunities for advancement this is a great place to work.”– Starbucks Shift Supervisor (Bangor, Maine)
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Recent employee commentary: “Your career at CareerBuilder is what you make of it. There are many opportunities but you have to go get them, nothing will be handed to you. I love that I have worked here for many, many years yet I still continue to learn and grow every day. The people I work with are wonderful for the most part and we all truly care about this organization.” – CareerBuilder Employee (Norcross, Ga.)
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Recent employee commentary: “Large stable company. Good compensation and stock bonuses (RSUs). Diverse set of challenges and products to work on. Many opportunities for career growth: technically and managerially.” – Apple Employee (Cupertino, Calif.)
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34. Proctor & Gamble, Cincinnati, Ohio

Rating: 3.8

Recent employee commentary: “Smart people, interesting projects, promote-from-within culture. Move roles every two years, never have the chance to become complacent. Everyone is valued. P&G puts a lot of time and energy into training, mentorship, networking.” – Proctor & Gamble Finance Analyst (Cincinnati, Ohio)
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Glassdoor

33. Intel Corporation, Santa Clara, Calif.

Rating: 3.8

Recent employee commentary: “2 month paid sabbatical every 7 years. Flexible work from home policy. Incredibly smart colleagues. Opportunities for international assignments. Easy to switch roles/divisions. Lots of great free classes for career development.” – Intel Senior Financial Analyst (Santa Clara, Calif.)
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Recent employee commentary: “A company that truly respects and cares for both their patients AND employees. Plenty of PTO, good pay, excellent job security, good growth, good benefits. Many career options and the bosses will help you achieve your goals, every step of the way.” – Mayo Clinic Supervisor (Scottsdale, Ariz.)
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Recent employee commentary: “There are a lot of wonderful benefits for their full time employees, ranging from comp & discounted rooms, great retirement plans, health insurance, paid holidays, etc. I enjoy the environment I work in as well!” – Hyatt Front Desk Agent (Long Beach, Calif.)
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Glassdoor

25. Genentech, South San Francisco, Calif.

Rating: 4.0

Recent employee commentary: “Great co-workers, nearly unlimited resources, many opportunities for scientific collaboration and to learn new technical skills, excellent company to develop your early career as a scientist.” – Genentech Employee (South San Francisco, Calif.)
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24. Cameron, Houston, Texas

Rating: 4.0

Recent employee commentary: “Cameron demonstrates that they care about every employee. Cameron also has nearly an endless opportunity for learning and mobility within the company. They are focused on the employee’s career and give plenty of opportunity for growth.” – Cameron International Engineer II (Houston, Texas)
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Recent employee commentary: “Lots of interesting projects, collaboration with other teams, and an opportunity to shine. A culture of respecting and investing in each other. Great work environment with individual offices, new facilities, and many perks.” – MathWorks Marketing Manager (Natick, Mass.)
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LARRY W. SMITH/EPA

21. Southwest Airlines, Dallas, Texas

Rating: 4.0

Recent employee commentary: “Salary and benefits are among the best in the airline industry. Free travel on Southwest and huge discounts on other airlines. Company culture that has been legendary in the airline industry.” – Southwest Airlines Operations Agent (Raleigh, N.C.)
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Recent employee commentary: “Customer focused. Innovative. Respect and appreciation for work well done. People are very smart and nice to each other. Salary and bonus are excellent. Work life balance.” – Intuit Staff Software Engineer (Mountain View, Calif.)
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18. SolarCity, San Mateo, Calif.

Rating: 4.1

Recent employee commentary: “They keep safety in mind and value our work that will be long term maintained. Everyone is willing to share information to help others find a better way to get the job done in an efficient manner that is courteous to the customer.” – SolarCity Installer (Cranbury, New Jersey)
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17. Riverbed Technology, San Francisco, Calif.

Rating: 4.1

Recent employee commentary: “A work-life balance that’s truly achievable and a workplace with no egos or politics. Our leaders are not only super smart/dynamic but also very down-to-earth, approachable, and fun to be around.” – Riverbed Technology Senior Director (San Francisco, Calif.)
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16. Costco Wholesale

Rating: 4.1

Costco Wholesale saw the most improvement from last year’s Top Places to Work list, climbing 30 spots from number 46 in 2013.

Recent employee commentary: “Good starting pay. Great benefits, even for part timers. Clean and comfortable environment to work at. Paid vacation and sick days. On Sunday Costco pays you time and a half.” – Costco Wholesale Cashier Assistant (Fullerton, Calif.)
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15. Slalom Consulting, Seattle, Wash.

Rating: 4.1

Recent employee commentary: “Compelling projects that allow you to showcase and grow your skills. A senior leadership team that makes time and effort to get to know consultants both personally and professionally. A culture that provides a fun environment and leads to people that enjoy spending time together in and out of the office.” – Slalom Consulting Consultant (Atlanta, Ga.)
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14. Chevron, San Ramon, Calif.

Rating: 4.2

Recent employee commentary: “They truly care about their employees. The work/life balance is great, and there are opportunities for growth all throughout the company.” – Chevron Lean Sigma Facilitator (Houston, Texas)
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13. Qualcomm, San Diego, Calif.

Rating: 4.2

Recent employee commentary: “Visionary leader, great technology portfolio and offers opportunities to work on many different projects, rewards performance well, wide access to learning and development opportunities, very good IT systems and support, family-oriented company, good benefits, just a great company to work for filled with smart, innovative, nice humble people.” – Qualcomm Senior Learning & Development Specialist (San Diego, Calif.)
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12. Edelman, Chicago, Ill.

Rating: 4.2

Recent employee commentary: “Lots of opportunities to create your own path. Great at knowledge management & sharing resources. People are smart, and collaborative. Great benefits, and very fair review system in place and helps you see a clear path forward for your career.” – Edelman Senior Account Executive (New York City)
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11. John Deere, Moline, Ill.

Rating: 4.2

Recent employee commentary: “Great workplace with fantastic culture of enabling teams to do what’s necessary to succeed. Coworkers are intelligent and great to work with. Company has been around for 175 years and has great business prospects for the future.” – John Deere Software Development Engineer (Urbandale, Iowa)
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10. Nestlé Purina PetCare, St. Louis, Mo.

Rating: 4.3

Recent employee commentary: “People are smiling, happy, always willing to help lend a hand or share knowledge to help you do your job better. The health benefits are top tier, the work is challenging, yet energizing.” – Nestle Purina PetCare Senior Manufacturing Software Engineer (Saint Louis, Mo.)
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9. Orbitz Worldwide, Chicago, Ill.

Rating: 4.3

Recent employee commentary: “Great people—smart, friendly, and willing to share their knowledge. The work atmosphere is fantastic—very energetic and exciting to be at work each day. A place where diversity and unique qualities are praised and wanted.”– Orbitz Worldwide Inside Sales Associate (Chicago, Ill.)
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8. Google, Mountain View, Calif.

Rating: 4.3

Recent employee commentary: “Lots of smart people, fantastic perks. I learned more here than I have anywhere else in my professional history. The older teams, such as infrastructure and apps have people that can teach you more in an hour than you learn many places in your entire tenure.” – Google Software Engineer (San Francisco, Calif.)
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Recent employee commentary: “Smart people, good salary and benefits, fast-paced, lots of opportunity to see that something needs to be done and do it. Recognition for good work or good efforts.” – Guidewire Technical Writer (Foster City, Calif.)
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Glassdoor

5. Facebook, Menlo Park, Calif.

Rating: 4.5

Last year’s top winner, dropped four places to number 5. This is the first time in four years that the social media giant has not been among Glassdoor’s top three winners.

Recent employee commentary: “Excellent benefits and employee perks—onsite healthcare, chiropractor, acupuncture, gym and many others I haven’t tried out yet. Another huge bonus for me is the support I have here as a woman in the tech community, it’s pretty amazing.” – Facebook Program Manager (Menlo Park, Calif.)
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4. Eastman Chemical, Kingsport, Tenn.

Rating: 4.5

Recent employee commentary: “Eastman cares about its people through open communication, training opportunities, career advancement and work-life balance—SAFETY is a top priority.” – Eastman Chemical Global Product and Pricing Manager (Saint Louis, Mo.)
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3. LinkedIn, Mountain View, Calif.

Rating: 4.6

Recent employee commentary: “LinkedIn is a great company and has a strong brand, but what I love more is the environment I get to work in every day. Scooters, cube decorating competitions, fund raising events for charities, hilarious and brilliant coworkers, food, group fitness classes, etc.” – LinkedIn Manager (Chicago, Ill.)
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2. Twitter, San Francisco, Calif.

Rating: 4.6

In its Top Places to Work 2014 debut, Twitter rose to one of the top spots on Glassdoor’s list.

Recent employee commentary:“It’s the ideal balance of fun and very cool work. You got all the resources to be awesome. Food, tech giants, drinks, unbelievable perks!” – Twitter Software Engineer II (New York, New York)
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1. Bain & Co., Boston, Mass.

Rating: 4.6

Boston-based Bain & Co. was able to reclaim its spot as the top company of 2014. It previously took the number one spot in 2012.

Recent employee commentary: “Interesting, impactful work: There is rarely a boring day, much less a boring project. The problems we’re solving are usually what’s written in the WSJ about our client—big, complicated challenges, often challenges that are leading issues for that entire industry.” – Bain & Company Principal (San Francisco, Calif.)

“The best part about working at Bain is the people. The people make the fantastic culture, provide wonderful professional development and coaching opportunities, and make the job fun.” – Bain & Company Case Team Leader (Boston, Mass.)

“Interesting work. Smart people. Change-oriented clients. Collaborative atmosphere. Best colleagues. In general, I have found Bain to be a great place to build my career over the past five years.” – Bain & Company Manager (Chicago, Ill.)